Legal Commentary

The Stages of Change, courtesy of Richard Susskind

By Patrick J. Lamb

One of the things that makes a great speaker great is his or her ability to communicate memorably.  A simple statement can either be quickly forgotten or can be communicated in a way that makes it stick in your memory.  Richard Susskind is just such a "sticky" speaker.  Here's how he describes the stages of change, what he's experienced in response to his predictions of how the legal profession will evolve.

Stage 1:  "What you're saying is worthless nonsense."

Stage 2:  "What you're saying is an interesting but perverted point of view."

Stage 3:  "What you're saying is true but quite unimportant."

Stage 4:  "I have always said so."

Why is this important?  If you have to experience each of these stages, you're behind in the race to survive.  Lawyers have always trailed their clients in the adoption and use of technology and adaptation to the business environment.  Clients are changing at ever faster speeds.  Lawyers? Not so much.  The gap is growing for many lawyers and firms. 

In today's environment, can you afford to be more distant from your clients?  If you can't, how are you changing--and how fast are you changing--so that you are essential to them?

Full post as published by In Search of Perfect Client Service on June 16, 2010 (boomark / email).